In the thirteenth tribe 1976 koestler advanced a theory that ashkenazi jews are descended, not from the israelites of antiquity, but from the khazars, a turkic people in the caucasus that converted to judaism in the 8th century and was later forced westwards. He can reach a wide range of documents, and give comparative reports, thanks to his proficiency in many languages. Having adopted judaism in the 7th century the kazars represent the true origins of the ashkenazi jews a fact that many people will wish to suppress but which is powerfully proven by koestler, himself an ashkenazi jew. Arthur koestler the thirteenth tribe jrs rare books and. We all have our own particular beliefs that we can justify to not believe what koestler states in this book but its kind of hard to argue with facts. The thirteenth tribe is a 1976 book by arthur koestler, in which the author advances the thesis that ashkenazi jews are not descended from the historical. Arthur koestler about the author arthur koestler was born in 1905 in budapest. It lays out koestlers attempt to develop an elaborate general theory of human creativity.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The khazar empire and its heritage by koestler, arthur isbn. Koestlers hypothesis is that the khazars who converted to judaism in the 8th century migrated westwards into current eastern europe primarily ukraine, poland, belarus, lithuania, hungary and germany in the 12th and th centuries when the khazar empire was collapsing. The country of the khazars, a people of turkish stock, occupied a strategic key position at the vital gateway between the black sea and the caspian, where the great eastern powers of the.
The thirteenth tribe is a book that attempts to explain the origins of eastern europes jewish population,largely decimated by the nazi onslaught during the. The thirteenth tribe by arthur koestler, 9781939438997, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Koestler shows through extensive research, how a trading empire was set up by a tribe we know as the khazars between the expanding power blocs of christianity and islam. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them.
In 1931, koestler joined the communist party of germany, but he resigned in 1938 because stalinism. An excellent history of the kazars, detailing the extraordinary power of this kingdom and its many influences. Serving as a war correspondent for the british newspaper news chronicle during the spanish civil war, koestler was. His book quotes many sources and his thesis should not be dismissed out of hand. As one gets past the introductory information, the book reads as well as a nonfiction work, as opposed to a dry historical tome. The thirteenth tribe is a 1976 book by arthur koestler, in which the author advances the thesis that ashkenazi jews are not descended from the historical israelites of antiquity, but from khazars, a turkic people. The term chosen race, which koestler in the thirteenth tribe treats pejoratively, as a scientific nonstarter, and wrongly attributes to religious and other jews, is a usage that is strictly confined to antisemites, a corruption of the passage in jewish liturgy, atah vchartanu mikol haamimchosen us from among all the. Though he studied science and psychology in vienna, at the age of twenty he became a foreign correspondent and worked for various european newspapers in the middle east, paris, berlin, russia and spain. Arthur koestler books list of books by author arthur. Khazaria was finally wiped out by the forces of genghis khan. Koestler wrote darkness at noon, which centers on the destructiveness of politics, the act of creation, a book about creativity, and the ghost in the machine, which bravely attacks behaviorism.
Jewish author, arthur koestler has published a 255 page book titled the thirteenth tribe which proves the eastern european jews are not related to. The khazar empire and its heritage by arthur koestler and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Topics khazars, jews origins, eastern jews, ashkenazi jews collection opensource language english. It is a study of the processes of discovery, invention, imagination and creativity in humour, science, and the arts.
The thirteenth tribe written by arthur koestler home. Now, after many years of research, a wellknown jewish author, arthur koestler has published a 255 page book titled the thirteenth tribe in which he proves the same point. Arthur koestler the thirteenth tribe the khazar empire and its heritage this book traces the history of the ancient khazar empire, a major but almost forgotten power in eastern europe, which in the dark ages became converted to judaism. The thirteenth tribe by arthur koestler after many years of research, a brilliant scholar and writer named arthur koestler published a 255 page book entitled the thirteenth tribe in which he proves that eastern european jews are neither israelites nor semites, but.
The khazar empire and its heritage, arthur koestler has again, as with his book, the midwife toad, undertaken an exciting and fascinating study of a plausible but quite. The khazar turks, the subject of koestlers book the thirteenth tribe, established their empire in the 6th century in an area encompassing the north caspian, crimea, ukraine, and southern russia. A history of the ancient black races including the black hebrews. Back in the 1970s, arthur koestler, author of darkness at noon, wrote this amazing innovative. Arthur koestler the thirteenth tribe 1976 playlist. This book traces the history of the ancient khazar empire, a m. Now after many years of research arthur koestler, who selfidentifies as a jew, has published a 255 page book entitled the thirteenth tribe in which he proves the same point. Additionally, with the onset of dna genealogy and its advancing technologies, it was proven that ashkenazi jews descend from the levantine near east an. A message heard around the world by hebrew israelites on. Review of arthur koestlers book the thirteenth tribe. The thirteenth tribe the document below is a book written by a jewish historian, arthur koestler, who died in 1983. A resource for turkic and jewish history in russia and ukraine. The collapse of the khazar empire and its heritage arthur koestler the thirteenth tribe the khazar empire and its heritage hutchinson of london, london 1976 publishing eurasia st.
The thirteenth tribe arthur koestler chapter one, part 1 rise and fall of the khazars rise in khazaria, sheep, honey, and jews exist in large quantities. As expected, the thirteenth tribe caused a stir when published in 1976, since it demolishes ancient racial and ethnic dogmas. As a result, the book was published only ten years later 1962 carrying a recantation in its final section which amounted to a denial of all that went before and, indeed, of the authors lifework. At the height of the controversy in 1983, the lifeless bodies of arthur koestler and his wife were found in their london home. The thirteenth tribe is a book that attempts to explain the origins of eastern europes jewish population,largely decimated by the nazi onslaught during the second world war. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now.
The thirteenth tribe by arthur koestler fantastic fiction. This volume contains the entire 91 chapters plus a detailed analysis of the supposed discrepancies, crossreferenced historical accounts, and detailed charts for ease of use. The thirteenth tribe by arthur koestler reformation. A most interesting book by arthur koestler, who himself was of ashkenazi jewish descent and proud of it. The hypothesis of this brief but startling study is that the majority of eastern european jews did not originally come from france and western germany, but from the dispersion of the khazar empire around the 12th century. Muqaddasi, descriptio imperii moslemici tenth century. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The kazar empire and its heritage paperback june 1, 1978 by arthur koestler author. They are not descendants of the mythic jews of the bible. Absolute proof more modern jews not biblical israelites. The medieval jewish kingdom of the khazars, 7401259. Finally available to all absolute historical proof. The thirteenth tribe by arthur koestler, 9780394402840, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Back to arthur koestlers book the thirteenth tribe. Koestler hypothesized that the khazars who converted to judaism in the 8th century. There are ancient history books that are mentioned and recommended by the bible. There are few more fertile fields for controversy than the ethnic background and makeup of. Jewish author, arthur koestler has published a page book titled the thirteenth tribe which proves the eastern european jews are not related to. The thirteenth tribe by arthur koestler book cover, description, publication history.
The khazars evidently originated on the asian steppes, spoke a turkish language, and adopted judaism in the 8th century. In his carefully researched book entitled the thirteenth tribe, arthur koestler refutes the idea of a jewish race. Petersburg 2001 ocr sergei vasil for assistance in the implementation of the publication of this book publishing. The kazar empire and its heritage paperback june 1, 1978. The khazar empire and its heritage arthur koestler.
Does arthur koestlers book the thirteenth tribe prove. Review of arthur koestlers book the thirteenth tribe by grace halsell. This book explains other parallel historical developments concerning the vikings, russia, other turkish tribes as well as the khazars development and subsequent conversion. He was an ashkenazi jew who helped to expose this major blunder that is causing horrendous suffering all over the world. In itself it is of historical interest to learn of the khazar empire that ruled for several hundred years and who were a power equal to the byzantine empire and. The ancient book of jasher is the only one of the that still exists. Koestlers book was disproven and laughed out many years ago by historians and rabbis alike. The act of creation is a 1964 book by arthur koestler.